A Smell That Rules: Naked Mole-Rats Stay Peaceful Under the Queen's Scent
Nature’s study shows naked mole-rat colonies are steered by a queen-derived chemical signal, isopropyl myristate (IPM), which suppresses reproduction in non-breeders and keeps the colony peaceful. IPM lingers in tunnels, activates olfactory circuits, and shifts hormones to maintain social order—acting much like queen pheromones in bees and ants. Dosing colonies with IPM kept queenless groups peaceful for months, while stopping the chemical led to conflict and a new queen’s rise, revealing a mammalian chemical mechanism for social control.
